Stewardship of Time & Talent

God has given us all talents. How will you use yours for Christ?

 
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We have several ministries within our parish that would benefit from the gift of your time and talent!

Below are descriptions of the ministries including in our Time & Talent survey.
If you haven’t already, please take a moment to fill out the survey the next time you are at church!

Unsure of where to begin? We created a Ministry Match quiz to give you a few suggestions!


COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP

St. Joseph Parish supports several worthy community organizations that are committed to improving the lives of our vulnerable neighbors. Right now, Echo Glen is in need of volunteers who can support their Sewing Club on Thursdays, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. This volunteer driven class is in huge demand!

First group of boys proudly finished P.J. bottoms and moved on to making stylish long sleeved shirts.  They are learning basic hand embroidery and crochet skills. Their self-esteem has soared as they realize they can take care of themselves, save money by mending and sewing, and up-cycle existing clothing  all while they are having fun!

Knowing how to sew, for anyone, is a useful life skill with lifelong practical applications and many health benefits. To sew requires concentration and focus, problem solving skills, requires good following of directions, hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. It challenges left brain thinking and is a great way to express ones creativity and individuality. And the completion of a project boosts their morale and self-confidence.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. If you're interested, please contact Karen Geahigan at karen@geahigan.com.

More opportunities to come!


Prayer & Worship

PRAYER CHAIN
Prayer chain members include all requests in their daily prayers at a time and place of their own choosing. Members receive updates to the prayer chain on a semi-regular basis!
These updates can be received via email or phone call, whichever is more convenient for you.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
Did you know we are one of the few parishes on the Eastside that offers Eucharistic Adoration almost every day of the week?
The only way we are able to continue to offer this service to Catholics throughout King County is through volunteers who stay with the Blessed Sacrament during our open Adoration hours.


OUTREACH/WORKS OF MERCY

 

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul reaches out to those in need with food, clothing, rental assistance, furniture, and friendship. Typically two volunteers work together each week to pick up messages and respond to those in need. Training is provided and typically a new volunteer would be paired with an experienced volunteer. Time commitment is 8-12 hours per month; however, our schedule is flexible and typically set the month ahead.

PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY (HOMEBOUND MINISTRY)
Our Pastoral Care Ministers support the sick, homebound, and senior members of our parish community through prayer, visitation and spiritual nourishment with God's Word and the Eucharist. Our members bring the Eucharist on a regular basis to those who are homebound, in assisted living centers, and nursing homes.

ISSAQUAH FOOD & CLOTHING BANK
On a weekly basis, parish volunteers deliver food donated by fellow parishioners to Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank. Your involvement could be weekly or monthly, depending on your availability! Right now, there are only a few volunteers willing to make the trek from church to the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank. Every little bit helps! Not sure you can volunteer to deliver donations? That's okay! Consider bringing a donation straight to our Gathering Space (make sure you check the website for the most up-to-date list of needed items).

KIDVANTAGE
KidVantage, formerly known as Eastside Baby Corner), was founded here in Issaquah by St. Joseph parishioner Karen Ridlon in 1990. It provides essential goods for children who are living in poverty or experiencing homelessness or family disruption. EBC now has a partner network of over 50 health and human service organizations, schools, early learning centers and food banks and has grown to include a Northshore hub in Kenmore and a West Sound hub in Bremerton.

ISSAQUAH MEALS PROGRAM
In cooperation with other faith-based and social groups around Issaquah, the Issaquah Meals Program provides free hot meals for those in need. St. Joseph Parishioners have the ability to sign up to provide food on a regular basis, based on their availability.

RESPECT LIFE COMMITTEE
As Catholics, we believe in the dignity of all life, from conception through natural death. Our Respect Life Committee dedicates time to educate others about life issues, to help meet the needs of the most vulnerable, and to advocate on their behalf in the public arena. We do this in the spirit of love as Jesus showed us, to replace the culture of death that surrounds us with a culture of life.

EVERYONE FOR VETERANS
Everyone for Veterans ("E4V") connects local business owners to combat veterans in need of services. E4V originally focused on providing free dental service to combat veterans; however, the organization is expanding its network to other businesses and services in order to serve those who have served our country.

ECHO GLEN DETENTION MINISTRY
Support incarcerated youth at the Echo Glen Children's Center in Snoqualmie through a variety of enrichment programs. These programs include Bible studies, mentoring in the classrooms and teaching life skills (such as cooking, sewing and music). The time commitment for volunteering can be flexible depending on your availability! The greatest gifts you can give the youth at Echo Glen are your time, consistency, and care.

ISSAQUAH COMMUNITY SERVICES (“ICS”)
ICS provides emergency assistance to those who are in need of help paying for rent, utilities, gas, bus tickets and, in some cases, medical and dental care. Scheduling is very flexible and the time commitment is minimal on a monthly basis.

LEGION OF MARY

Members present Holy Communion to the homebound, visit the sick, assist our Pastor, and promote home visitations of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue.

LAZARUS MINISTRY
Lazarus Ministry volunteers involve preparing funeral liturgies, following up with families who are coordinating funerals, and possibly connecting families with grief support as needed.

 

LITURGY

 

ALTAR SERVERS/ACOLYTES
Altar servers are for children in the fourth grade and older, this is a wonderful opportunity to deepen their understanding and love of the Mass, while serving the Lord and our parish. Acolytes youth ages 14-18 who are ready to deepen their faith through actively assisting Father in the celebration of Mass.

LECTOR
Readers proclaim the Word at daily and Sunday liturgies, as well as other special occasions.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTER
Eucharistic Ministers assist in the distribution of the Holy Eucharist during Mass, and in special circumstances, to persons who are home-bound, in medical facilities or incarcerated.

GREETERS/USHERS
Greeters provide a welcoming presence at all weekend Masses, and also distribute bulletins to parishioners at the end of Mass. Ushers assist in seating and gathering the offering, as well as helping anyone who need assistance during Mass.

FLOWER COMMITTEE
One week a month, members are asked to pick up flowers for the church and place them in appropriate vases, and check to make sure the potted plants have been watered. What an honor to serve our Lord and our community by working with God's own beautiful creations!

SPANISH MASS
Spanish Mass is held the First Friday of every month, at 7PM. Ministers assist with the Mass itself, as well as communicating with fellow community members regarding events for our Hispanic community.

MUSIC MINISTERS
We are always looking for those comfortable with performing during Mass and/or other special events, such as our quarterly Adoremus Adoration events.

SACRISTANS
Sacristans ensure everything needed for Mass is in place. They confirm that all ministers are present and are the Eucharistic Minister leader during Mass. The time commitment for each Mass is 30 minutes before, and 15 minutes after.

 

FAITH FORMATION

 

ADULT SMALL GROUP LEADER
Adult small group leaders help facilitate discussions for adult small group studies. These study groups may include Bible Study, video series on Catholic Topics (i.e. Bishop Barron), a book study, or a faith sharing group!

YOUTH SMALL GROUP LEADER
Youth small group leaders guide teens in grades 8-12 through discussions about our faith in a small group setting. You'll receive lesson plans from our PA for Family Formation, as well as prompts for discussions. Small group meetings are once a week for 50 minutes.

MENTOR FAMILY
Mentor families guide a group of families through the Family Faith Formation Program. They meet with our PA for Family Formation once a month to discuss the topics and leader guide, and then meet virtually with their assigned small group once a month to discuss the topic, activities and answer questions. This is a wonderful way to meet other parish families and develop lasting friendships with fellow parents!

 

FACILITIES & OTHER

 

BUCKET BRIGADE
Join one of our cleaning crews that help make our worship space shine! Everyone is invited to participate! No experience is required, and there is no age limit. Usually, volunteers assist once or twice a month, and can be flexible based on your schedule.

VOLUNTEERING AT THE PARISH OFFICE
Our Parish Office is in need of volunteers willing to help with various clerical tasks. Whether it's stuffing envelopes for our mailings, helping update our website, or posting to social media, God has given you talents that would greatly bless our staff members!

FINANCE COUNCIL
The Finance Council serves as a consultative body to the pastor. Its purpose is to serve the community by providing recommendations concerning the stewardship of parish fiscal resources.

PASTORAL COUNCIL
The Parish Pastoral Council serves as a consultative body to the pastor. Its purpose is to serve the community by providing recommendations for parish priorities, directions, and policies through pastoral planning.